Tuesday

Body search at Palm Plaza
(newspaper photo)

Went to the doctor's this morning for a jab. The shoulder still hurts and I must stop carrying the backpack; the weight adds a lot of pressure on the shoulder joint. Doc said the weather is changing and I must be careful not to fall sick as it will exacerbate my asthma. I don't think I'll take a flu shot this time. Usually the doc gives me one when the weather changes. My headache has lasted over a week now. The nausea is less ... so I'm still wondering what is the cause. Doc said it's exhaustion - both physical and mental.

Arrest in a street corner probably for
not possessing an ID or legal papers
(newspaper photo)

More police action in the streets these days as the Jewish New Year rounds the corner. Lots of stop and search at every corner inside and outside the Old City. It's a scare tactic to deter potential terrorists. There's an interesting article on an online newspaper about the recent arab violence: it's especially markedly different from previous attacks because they were perpetrated by very young children, and the analysis is frightening: they are doing it not for nationalistic reasons like before but simply to commit suicide. Several of these children did not even carry knives or weapons ... they just walked right up to soldiers in order to get shot dead. Life has become so unbearable and hopeless it is better to die. This is so sad, so tragic, so frightening.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4859239,00.html 

Just had a nice chat with my old classmate from '92. It's good to catch up once in a while ... can't imagine him now with grey hair and 3 teenage kids. How time flies. We chatted about our other schoolmate who is now archbishop and apostolic administrator of the Holy Land. All our paths have changed. God has his plans. Always mysterious ...